Messina

Messina

The highlight of Messina is its 12th-century Duomo, clock tower and the piazza where they are both found. The cathedral was partially destroyed in World War II but has been restored and is lovely and the piazza is sometimes compared to Piazza San Marco in Venice. The rebuilt clock tower houses a unique mechanical clock installed in 1933 which has pictures and figures of animals and other storytelling devices that mark the hours of the day. There is movement every quarter hour but noon is when the astronomical clock really performs with all kinds of figures and symbols moving and the bells chiming at the same time—a true showstopper!